I took the full list and did a mini review for the ones I have seen with a 10 scale rating. Smiling I have a few more at my house waiting to be seen as well. If nothing is written by the film I have not seen it yet. I need to see a BUNCH this weekend.

Babel

The Departed: 9/10
In my opinion this is the best film I have seen so far this year. When the credits started rolling I turned to my sister and said “Thank god someone still knows how to make movies like this.” Perfect casting, acting, direction, editing, cinematography, etc. I have seen it twice and have the DVD on the way in the mail. I hope Mark Wahlberg gets the award for this one as he had the BEST character in film in years.

Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine – at my house now waiting to be seen

The Queen: 8/10
Helen Mirren was a revelation in this. Her performance was stellar and really drove the film. There were a few slow spots, but overall it was compelling and very interesting to watch.

Blood Diamond: 7/10:
http://teamsugar.com/group/36065/blog/84372
The performances by Leo and Djimon in this film make it one you need to see. Sure, there are some preachy moments and action for action’s sake, but hey…this is an action film. It is also a “message film” so there has to be some preaching. Jennifer Connelly’s character was in the film solely to give the audience some back story on the diamond conflicts. She did well with what she was given, but her role was never quite flushed out. That didn’t really bother me though. The movie is about these 2 men and how their stories intertwine. The film is brutal in its violence, but it has to be for the subject matter. Not everything in the world is puppies and daisies…

Half Nelson - at my house now waiting to be seen
Venus
The Pursuit of Happyness
The Last King of Scotland
Volver
Notes on a Scandal

The Devil Wears Prada: 7/10
Meryl Streep proves once again that she is a one woman Master Class in acting. She is brilliant. Emily Blunt is a breath of fresh air as well. The costuming in this was as much a character as any of the actors, so I would be happy if they won the Oscar for that.

Little Children

Dreamgirls: 7/10
Singing gets and A++. Acting…gets a C. Eddie Murphy was a huge disappointment here. It felt like he was playing a Saturday Night Live character and I never believed him. His musical numbers were fun, but that’s about it. The film was enjoyable and entertaining, but none of the acting blew me away.

United 93: 8/10
This film is one that you have to be ready to see. It treats the events with little sentimentality. You don’t feel like anyone was exploited or that the filmmakers were just trying to cash in on a tragedy. I think this is a film where the DVD extras enhance what you see. You get a chance to follow Paul Greengrass while he visits the families of the passengers portrayed in the film. They gave their blessing and support, which to me says a lot.

Cars
Happy Feet

Monster House: 5/10
Mildly entertaining and too scary for little kids. This was way too long though.

Borat
Children of Men

Pan’s Labyrinth: 9/10
See my review here: http://teamsugar.com/group/36065/reviews/114123

The Good Shepherd: 8/10
See LizaToad’s review here (which I agree with) and my comment below: http://teamsugar.com/group/36065/reviews/95821

POTC – Dead Man’s Chest: 7/10
Johnny Depp can do no wrong in this film. That is what saved it for me. The editors needed to cut about 30 minutes of the fight scenes because they dragged on and on. Bill Nighy was fun as Davy Jones, but at times a bit over the top. Some of the plot choices felt forced to me, but had to be done to set up the 3rd film. Overall, this was entertaining, but needed to be condensed.

The Prestige: 8/10
I really enjoyed this film. The acting was all top notch, with the possible exception of Scarlet Johansson. I am on the fence with her. At times she was quite good and other moments fell flat. Bale and Jackman were excellent and played off on another well. I enjoyed the twists and turns and was on the edge of my seat.

The Black Dahlia: 5/10
BORING. I almost dozed off a few times. The cinematography and costuming was artfully done but that is about it. I think they really missed the mark here.

The Illusionist: 8/10
Romantic and mysterious…just what you want in a leading man. I couldn’t take my eyes off him in this film. This film was perfectly paced and the cinematography perfectly creating the mood. Jessica Biel was better than expected and Rufus Sewell didn’t disappoint. The only fault I see here was in Paul Giamatti’s sometimes shaky dialect. He was good in this, but I have seen him do better.

Curse of the Golden Flower

Marie Antoinette: 6/10
I just saw this last night and am still processing my thoughts on it. I think Sofia Copella is a truly talented director in the innovative choices she makes. Some of the cinematography in this was absolutely breathtaking. The costuming and set design was spot on as well. I thought Kirsten Dunst was convincing in this, which was not what I had expected. However, the pacing was slow at times and there were a few casting choices that baffled me. Molly Shannon…really?

Deliver us from Evil

An Inconvenient Truth: 9/10
Everyone should see this film. Period.

Iraq in Fragments
Jesus Camp
My Country, my Country
Apocolypto
Click
The Good German

Flags of Our Fathers: 7/10
Just saw this yesterday as well. While at times slow, I thought this was a well made film. Jamie Bell continues to prove that he is an actor to watch out for. This film was the definition of ensemble, as there was not really one central character we were supposed to follow. I guess Ryan Philippe was the biggest lead, but luckily he didn’t have enough lines to ruin the film with his mumbling.

Poseidon: 7/10
Sure, the plot is silly and the characters are cheesy…but that is the point. This is a disaster flick. Great special effects and perfect pacing.

Superman Returns: 8/10
As a huge fan of the Christopher Reeve Superman films I was apprehensive about this. Wow, I was proved wrong. I think you had to be a fan of the earlier films in order to see how much reverence and respect was paid to Reeve. Brandon Routh NAILED Clark Kent. There were a few moments where I felt like he had channeled Reeve. Kate Bosworth was okay in this, but her bad wig was a bit distracting.